


Can We Talk

by lessiehanamoray



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akiren Week, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-12 10:31:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18444740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lessiehanamoray/pseuds/lessiehanamoray
Summary: Akira Kurusu, and his family, reels upon being convicted of attempted assault and placed under probation.  Now what do they?  Count on his sister to put her faith in him.





	Can We Talk

Akira Kurusu sat in stunned silence.  He hadn’t said a word since his sentence had been passed a full hour ago.

Of all the consequences he had expected from trying to save someone, probation hadn’t been on the list.  And the icy silence from his parents, who sat stoically in the front, didn’t help.

The only one who seemed to respond normally, who seemed upset at the verdict, fidgeted in her seat next to him.

They’d be home soon, but it felt like an eternity from the courthouse.

Akira’s father pulled into the driveway under their house.  Without a word, the family exited the car.

His sister let out an overstated breath.  “Finally!” Then, with all her usual energy, she bolted up the stairs.   

Whether she behaved this way because she truly couldn’t help it, or because she desperately wanted to lift the mood, Akira couldn’t tell.  

He slowly went up the stairs as well.  His sister had already thrown open the door by the time he got to the top.

HIs grandmother looked at him hopefully as he entered.  “How’d it go?”

Akira continued to his room.  

“That well, huh?”

He just continued the trek up to his room.  Well, not really his room. His and his sister’s room.  Sure enough, the door was already open, his sister sitting on the bottom bunk.  She looked at him sadly.

He closed the door.  Akira didn’t want to hear his parents desperately try to excuse his poor behavior again, much less to his gran.  When they did it to strangers, he could tell himself they were just desperately trying to save face. Those people didn’t know him though.  They didn’t know…

Akira’s shoulders slumped.  He stumbled forward, falling face-first onto the bed beside his sister.  

He tried to stay strong around his parents.  So they could at least be proud of that, but he had long ago learned that trying to hide things from his little sister was a pointless endeavor.  They roomed together after all, so she got to see him at his most exhausted.

And he got to see her at hers too.  While they certainly argued, rooming together had actually proven an overall boon to their relationship.  

“That two-faced bitch.  Did you see her trembling up there?  And that slimy lawyer making it look like it was all because she was faced with the teenager who hit her beloved?  Like hell. Either she’s a damned good actress or shakin’ because they’re forcing her to speak out against you. Ugh!”  His sis lay back on the bed. “If I were her, I’d get up there and tell them all off. Say I was being threatened by my abuser.”

Akira smiled slightly.  Given how scared the woman had looked, he imagined such an act far more difficult than her sister let on, but her faith in him was invigorating.  

She had a way of ranting for him.  Always had.

“Dammit!  Now I wanna punch someone.”

Akira rolled over to lay on his back.  

“I mean, seriously?  How could mom and dad think you just attacked someone out of the blue like that?”  She slapped her hands against the mattress with a thump. “Your problem is that you can’t not help people.”

Akira took a deep breath.  He hadn’t spoken to his parents much about it, but he could tell they were surprised by verdict too.  Whether they believed it or not, he wasn’t sure, but at least they hadn’t expected it.

Not like he was in any mindset to defend them right now.  They’d just kept bowing and apologizing to everyone there.  Like it was all their fault.

His sis grabbed one of his hands, holding it tightly.  

“I believe you, bro.”

He turned his head to look at her.  “Thanks.” He knew that already, but it felt good to hear her say it.  

She smiled back at him.  

How long they just lay on the bed together, he wasn’t sure, but a knock on the door broke them out of their quiet bonding.  

“Can I come in?” an elderly voice asked.  

They both sat up.  “You can come on in, Gran,” his sis announced.

Akira’s grandmother gently slid open the door.  She smiled at them both as she shuffled into the room.  She quietly closed the door behind her.

“Your dad’s getting some carry out for dinner.”

“Beef bowls?” his sister asked hopefully.

Their gran shrugged.  “Not sure.” She looked at Akira.  “How are you holding up, sweetie?”

He took a deep breath.  “Disappointed.”

“Oh, I’m sure of that.”  She slid closer. More used to private chats with grandma, Akira’s sister stood up to slide out a desk chair for her to sit in.

“Thank you, Sasako.”

“Of course, Gran.”  She sat back down by her brother.  

“Your mom tells me the woman stood up their shaking and saying how you attacked her boyfriend.”

“He was forcing himself on her,” Akira murmured.  He’d told them a thousand times before, but they never seemed to believe him.  

“Your dad thinks you probably just misread the situation.”

“Misread?”

“Seems pretty clear-cut to me,” Sasako snapped.

Their grandma held up a hand to silence her.  “None but those who were there can answer to that.  I just want you to know that none of us think you meant to hurt anyone.  I raised my daughter better than that. She married a man better than that.  And they sure as hell raised a son better than that.” She turned to Sasako. “And a daughter too.”

Akira managed a small smile.  “Thanks, Gran.”

“I know it’s not the complete faith you want, but it’s what I can offer.  You never could stay out of other’s business, now could ya?”

“That’s my brother,” Sasako responded proudly.  “Always helping others before thinking of himself.”

Their grandma laughed.  “Isn’t he though? But, Akira, if you won’t think of yourself, at least think of your family.  This could do some real harm.”

“Sorry, Gran.”

“Ah, I know yer heart’s in the right place.  Just gotta get yer head involved too.”

Akira nodded slowly.  

“Alright then.”  Their grandma slowly rose to her feet.  “Let’s head downstairs. You lot must be famished.”

She toddled out of the room, Sasako and Akira following close behind.  His mother didn’t even acknowledge him when they got downstairs, even though he helped set up the table and prep the rice.  And his father just quietly handed him a cheap beef bowl. Not even his favorite with the egg on top.

It looked for a moment that they would eat in the same awkward silence they had arrived home with, but Gran was having none of that.

“This is too much doom and gloom for my own funeral,” she suddenly snapped.  “We’re a family. If something’s on your mind, you say it.”

“Mom…”

“Don’t ‘mom’ me.  Your,” she gestured at Akira’s parents with her chopsticks, “the ones who gotta figure out what’s next.”

“What’s next?” Sasako echoed, clearly confused.  

“Our business is doing an exchange with one of the Chinese offices,” their father explained.  

“Both of you?”

Akira looked down at his bowl.  Didn’t someone have to keep an eye on him during probation?

“Since mom has her hospital visits, we thought you two could stay here with her.  Continue school as normal.”

“We didn’t want to say anything before it was finalized,” their father continued.  “But,” he sighed, “things just got more complicated.”

Akira didn’t miss the rising sharpness in his dad’s tone.  This was how he sounded when he was stressed, ready to lash out.  

A part of him wanted to apologize, but for what exactly?  He knew what he’d seen. And he had chosen to help a woman in distress.  He wouldn’t apologize for that.

“How?” Sasako asked.

Their mother looked sadly at her.  “Akira needs constant supervision. With your father and I away, and mom needing regular hospital visits, well, we just can’t provide that.”

“So what then?  Our school doesn’t exactly have a dorm.”

Good point.  What were they planning to do with him?

Their father turned to Akira.  “We’ve been discussing it. Your mother has a friend from college who might be able to take you in.”

“Take me in?”

The sound of his voice surprised him.  Akira hadn’t meant to say anything, but he didn’t like how his dad had phrased this.  It almost felt like they were planning to get rid of him for good.

“He’s a good man,” his mother offered.  “A little stern, but in a decent neighborhood.  We were thinking it might be best if you transfer schools, and well, I’m sure we can find something in Tokyo.”

“Everyone in town will know about what happened.  The rumors are going to be-”

“You’re kicking brother out because of stupid rumors!”

“Sasako!” their mother snapped.

“Sis, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.  You shouldn’t have to leave just because some jackass-”

“Sasako!”  Their father’s stern bark silenced them all.  “We have our family reputation to consider, not to mention Akira’s very ability to study.”

Thanks for remembering to include that, dad.  

Sasako glared at her father a moment.  And then, without a word, she stormed upstairs.

“You planning to follow her?” his father pushed.

“Do you really think I should transfer?”

“Would you rather stay with your father’s family every time your Gran needs to overnight at the hospital?” his mother offered.

Akira slowly nodded.  No kidding. His father was significantly more mellow than his grandparents.

“Ya think?” his grandma added.  “Look, stop making the boy fret.  You go with your sister and get some rest.”

“I think that’s best too.  Your dad and I will let you know as we sort things out.”

“Thanks, mom,” Akira said quietly.  He stood from the table. “I’ll see everyone tomorrow.”

“Get some sleep, sweetie.”

“A nice bath will do you some good,” Gran suggested.  

He nodded again before heading upstairs.  

Sasako was sitting on the bed, clutching her knees.

“Sorry I stormed off.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Akira assured her.  “You want first crack at the bath?”

“You should get it while the water’s fresh.  You’ve had a much worse day than me.”

“Thanks, sis.”

“Hey, bro?”

Akira moved over to grab his night clothes.  “Yeah?”

“I don’t want to be seperated.”

Akira nodded, afraid his emotions would show too strongly if he said something.

He wasn’t ready to leave her yet either.

**Author's Note:**

> I promise, I will do all the prompts for AkiRen Week. I'm just trying to post them closeish to their actual day. Anyway, Sasako is inspired by the girl in the P5R trailer and, somewhat accidentally, named after the Colorado Anime Fest mascot. With con coming up it's just been in my head, and it fits her pretty well.


End file.
